1
2
a
: an act or instance of trading : transaction
also
: an exchange of property usually without use of money
b
: a firm's customers : clientele
c
: the group of firms engaged in a business or industry
3
a
: an occupation requiring manual or mechanical skill : craft
b
: the business or work in which one engages regularly : occupation
c
: the persons engaged in an occupation, business, or industry
4
: a customary course of action : practice
thy sin's not accidental, but a trade—
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare5
: trade wind
—usually used in plural
6
: a publication intended for persons in the entertainment business
—usually used in plural
7
a
obsolete
: a path traversed : way
b
archaic
: a track or trail left by a person or animal : tread sense 4
traded; trading
1
: to give one thing in exchange for another
2
a
: to engage in the exchange, purchase, or sale of goods
b
: to make one's purchases : shop
trades at his store
3
4
obsolete
: to have dealings : negotiate
1
a
: to give in exchange for another commodity : barter
also
: to make an exchange of
traded places
b
: to engage in frequent buying and selling of (stocks, commodities, etc.) usually in search of quick profits
2
archaic
: to do business with
1
: of, relating to, or used in trade
2
a
: intended for or limited to persons in a business or industry
a trade publication
trade sales
b
: serving others in the same business rather than the ultimate user or consumer
a trade printing house
3
or less commonly trades
: of, composed of, or representing the trades or trade unions
a trade committee
4
: having a larger softcover format than that of a mass-market paperback and usually sold only in bookstores
trade paperbacks
also
: of or relating to the publishing of such books
Phrases
trade on
: to take often unscrupulous advantage of : exploit
traded on their influence … in securing special favors—T. C. Pease
T. C. Pease
Synonyms
Examples of trade in a Sentence
Noun
the trade between the two countries
Trade accounts for half of our gross national product.
The Tigers made a few good trades this season and picked up some promising players.
Verb
If you don't like your seat, I'll trade with you.
I traded seats with her halfway through the show.
He was traded to the Yankees.
They traded him to the Broncos.
I traded my pen for a pencil and kept writing.
Their firm specializes in trading bonds.
She mostly trades in stocks.
Recent Examples on the WebBailey Lipschultz, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2024
What ultimately ended the involvement of U.S. nationals in the trade was Brazil’s passage in 1850 of a new anti-trafficking law.
—Rafael Vilela, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024
The Yankees added a starting pitcher via trade yesterday, acquiring JT Brubaker from the Pittsburgh Pirates with a $500,000 international bonus pool allotment for a player to be named later.
—Daniel R. Epstein, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
As part of a three-team trade that sent Lillard to Milwaukee and several players to Phoenix, Portland received DeAndre Ayton, Toumani Camara, a 2029 Bucks first round-pick and Jrue Holiday, who was flipped to Boston for Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2024
The Vikings own the No. 11 and No. 23 overall picks in the first-round following a pre-draft trade with the Houston Texans a few weeks ago.
—Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 29 Mar. 2024
Detractors argued the trades merely encouraged more detentions.
—Charles Maynes, NPR, 29 Mar. 2024
This month, the National Association of Realtors, a real estate trade group that represents more than 1.5 million members, agreed to settle several antitrust lawsuits by paying $418 million in damages.
—Josh Ocampo, New York Times, 29 Mar. 2024
The Alliance for Auto Innovation, a large industry trade group, said in a news release that the ramp up to 67% initially proposed by the EPA is too fast for the industry to achieve.
—Tom Krisher, Fortune, 20 Mar. 2024
Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024
By the 1600s, the Portuguese had arrived, trading goods and introducing intercontinental slavery.
—Mark Jenkins, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
Weeks before the start of the 2012 season, the Dolphins traded Davis to the Indianapolis Colts for a 2013 second-round pick and a conditional 2013 sixth-round pick.
—Daniel Oyefusi, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024
However, the real ire might be better directed at the team’s decision-makers; not only Roberts, but a culpable front office that traded away productive (albeit, hardly unhittable) left-handed relievers Caleb Ferguson and Victor González this offseason without adding any direct replacements.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
Valuation Generating a $3.03 billion market cap, shares of Cal-Maine Foods traded around $61.78 on Friday with a price-earnings ratio of 6.67, a price-book ratio of 1.86 and price-sales ratio of 1.14.
—Gurufocus, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Howell, a Charlotte-area native and mentor of Maye, is now with the Seattle Seahawks after being traded from the Washington Commanders — who, too, have their eyes on Maye.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 29 Mar. 2024
Keenan Allen, the former longtime Charger traded last week to Chicago, watched — along with numerous NFL scouts, coaches and executives — from the sidelines, dressed in Bears blue and orange.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Each time they were traded, they would be ordered to shower and use make-up to cover their wounds to fetch a better price for the next scam boss, who would subsequently repeat the cycle of violence and abuse before they were patched up and sold again.
—TIME, 21 Mar. 2024
TIME, 18 Mar. 2024
Accounting for rising prices, last year's $690 billion two-way trade was 7% lower than the pre-trade war peak in 2018, according to calculations by Alfredo Carrillo Obregon, a research associate at the Cato Institute.
—David J. Lynch The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 7 Aug. 2023
Accounting for rising prices, last year’s $690 billion two-way trade was 7 percent lower than the pre-trade war peak in 2018, according to calculations by Alfredo Carrillo Obregon, a research associate at the Cato Institute.
—David J. Lynch, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Aug. 2023
Kind, who represented Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District since his election in 1996, served on the House Ways and Means Committee, a powerful panel that is effectively Congress’ chief tax-writing body, carving out a role on Capitol Hill as a pro-trade Democrat.
—Lawrence Andrea, Journal Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2023
Enter Email Sign Up Acquired along with Dmitry Orlov in a pre-trade deadline deal with Washington, Hathaway’s ongoing integration into a deep and talented lineup is yet another reason to believe this record-setting year could end with a title.
—Tara Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Mar. 2023
But don’t overlook the Mavericks’ faster, more instinctual offensive pace and 3-0 record in games with Irving but without Doncic as signs of Irving’s post-trade impact.
—Callie Caplan, Dallas News, 20 Mar. 2023
Collaborative networks that foster easy communication channels across firms and influencer networks or that provide integrated execution and management options, including pre- and post-trade analytics further illustrate unbundled benefits.
—Bob Casey, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2023
One jumbotron interview to appreciate his fourth consecutive All-Star berth and the Mavericks’ post-trade deadline outlook with Kyrie Irving on board.
—Dallas News, 19 Feb. 2023
Noun
Re-Election Bet The discrepancy between where Trump Media’s shares trade and how the underlying business performs indicates that investors use it as a way to bet on Trump’s push for re-election.
—Bailey Lipschultz, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2024
What ultimately ended the involvement of U.S. nationals in the trade was Brazil’s passage in 1850 of a new anti-trafficking law.
—Rafael Vilela, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024
The Yankees added a starting pitcher via trade yesterday, acquiring JT Brubaker from the Pittsburgh Pirates with a $500,000 international bonus pool allotment for a player to be named later.
—Daniel R. Epstein, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
As part of a three-team trade that sent Lillard to Milwaukee and several players to Phoenix, Portland received DeAndre Ayton, Toumani Camara, a 2029 Bucks first round-pick and Jrue Holiday, who was flipped to Boston for Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2024
The Vikings own the No. 11 and No. 23 overall picks in the first-round following a pre-draft trade with the Houston Texans a few weeks ago.
—Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 29 Mar. 2024
Detractors argued the trades merely encouraged more detentions.
—Charles Maynes, NPR, 29 Mar. 2024
This month, the National Association of Realtors, a real estate trade group that represents more than 1.5 million members, agreed to settle several antitrust lawsuits by paying $418 million in damages.
—Josh Ocampo, New York Times, 29 Mar. 2024
The Alliance for Auto Innovation, a large industry trade group, said in a news release that the ramp up to 67% initially proposed by the EPA is too fast for the industry to achieve.
—Tom Krisher, Fortune, 20 Mar. 2024
Verb
The enlarged Skydance would then acquire Paramount Global, which is publicly traded, in a two-step process.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024
By the 1600s, the Portuguese had arrived, trading goods and introducing intercontinental slavery.
—Mark Jenkins, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
Weeks before the start of the 2012 season, the Dolphins traded Davis to the Indianapolis Colts for a 2013 second-round pick and a conditional 2013 sixth-round pick.
—Daniel Oyefusi, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024
However, the real ire might be better directed at the team’s decision-makers; not only Roberts, but a culpable front office that traded away productive (albeit, hardly unhittable) left-handed relievers Caleb Ferguson and Victor González this offseason without adding any direct replacements.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
Valuation Generating a $3.03 billion market cap, shares of Cal-Maine Foods traded around $61.78 on Friday with a price-earnings ratio of 6.67, a price-book ratio of 1.86 and price-sales ratio of 1.14.
—Gurufocus, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Howell, a Charlotte-area native and mentor of Maye, is now with the Seattle Seahawks after being traded from the Washington Commanders — who, too, have their eyes on Maye.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 29 Mar. 2024
Keenan Allen, the former longtime Charger traded last week to Chicago, watched — along with numerous NFL scouts, coaches and executives — from the sidelines, dressed in Bears blue and orange.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Each time they were traded, they would be ordered to shower and use make-up to cover their wounds to fetch a better price for the next scam boss, who would subsequently repeat the cycle of violence and abuse before they were patched up and sold again.
—TIME, 21 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Almost as soon as international trade had been liberalized, anti-trade tariffs were instituted across Europe.
—TIME, 18 Mar. 2024
Accounting for rising prices, last year's $690 billion two-way trade was 7% lower than the pre-trade war peak in 2018, according to calculations by Alfredo Carrillo Obregon, a research associate at the Cato Institute.
—David J. Lynch The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 7 Aug. 2023
Accounting for rising prices, last year’s $690 billion two-way trade was 7 percent lower than the pre-trade war peak in 2018, according to calculations by Alfredo Carrillo Obregon, a research associate at the Cato Institute.
—David J. Lynch, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Aug. 2023
Kind, who represented Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District since his election in 1996, served on the House Ways and Means Committee, a powerful panel that is effectively Congress’ chief tax-writing body, carving out a role on Capitol Hill as a pro-trade Democrat.
—Lawrence Andrea, Journal Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2023
Enter Email Sign Up Acquired along with Dmitry Orlov in a pre-trade deadline deal with Washington, Hathaway’s ongoing integration into a deep and talented lineup is yet another reason to believe this record-setting year could end with a title.
—Tara Sullivan, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Mar. 2023
But don’t overlook the Mavericks’ faster, more instinctual offensive pace and 3-0 record in games with Irving but without Doncic as signs of Irving’s post-trade impact.
—Callie Caplan, Dallas News, 20 Mar. 2023
Collaborative networks that foster easy communication channels across firms and influencer networks or that provide integrated execution and management options, including pre- and post-trade analytics further illustrate unbundled benefits.
—Bob Casey, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2023
One jumbotron interview to appreciate his fourth consecutive All-Star berth and the Mavericks’ post-trade deadline outlook with Kyrie Irving on board.
—Dallas News, 19 Feb. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Middle Low German; akin to Old High German trata track, course, Old English tredan to tread
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7b
Verb
1553, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 4
Adjective
1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of trade was
in the 15th century
Phrases Containing trade
Dictionary Entries Near trade
Cite this Entry
“Trade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trade. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
trade
1 of 3 noun1
: the business or work in which a person takes part regularly : occupation
2
: an occupation requiring manual or mechanical skill
3
: the persons working in an occupation, business, or industry
4
: the business of buying and selling items : commerce
5
a
: an act or instance of trading : transaction
b
: an exchange of property without use of money : swap
6
: a firm's customers
7
: trade wind
—usually used in plural
trade
2 of 3 verb
traded; trading
1
a
: to give in exchange for something else
b
: to make an exchange of
traded places
2
a
: to take part in the exchange, purchase, or sale of goods
b
: to deal regularly as a customer
trade
3 of 3 adjective
: of, relating to, or used in trade
Legal Definition
trade
1 of 3 noun1
a
: the business or work in which one engages regularly
b
: an occupation requiring manual or mechanical skill
c
: the persons engaged in an occupation
2
: the business of buying and selling or bartering commodities
3
: an act or instance of trading
also
: an exchange of property usually without use of money
trade
2 of 3 verb
traded; trading
1
: to engage in the exchange, purchase, or sale of goods
2
: to give one thing in exchange for another
3
: to engage in selling
1
: to give in exchange for another commodity
also
: to make an exchange of
2
: to engage in frequent buying and selling of (as stocks or commodities) usually in search of quick profits
tradable
adjective
also tradeable
trader
noun
trade
3 of 3 adjective1
: of, relating to, or used in trade or in a particular trade or business
2
also trades
: of, composed of, or representing the trades or labor unions
More from Merriam-Webster on trade
Nglish: Translation of trade for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of trade for Arabic Speakers
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